Grip and control mechanism for bowling



Sept. 20, 1949. A. A. ZANDER 2,432,395

GRIP AND CONTROL MECHANISM FOR BOWLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1947 INVENTOR ALBERT A. ZAN DER p 1949; A. A. ZANDER 2,482,395

GRIP AND CONTROL MECHANISM FOR BOWLING Filed Dec. 2, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mwuml mum INVENTOR ALBERT A. ZANDER TORNEY v Patented Sept. 20, 1949 W PATEN QFZFICE enmmeo-Nrnor. MEQHANI-SM FORM I BOWLING I Al-berVAfiZa'nd'er;DetroitFMich;

AppJioationDecemberZ, 1945;:Serial' No.- 789;182

Various devices have heretofore been 'sug-' t gested' for assisting handicapped persons to par: ticipate in'gainfuremployment by providing substitutes fo'r hand's or' ifet capable ofperforn'iing to'a 'limited"exteht the-ndrmal fu'hetibhs of these body membersi Seine of these substituteshave"10 More recently attehticifi' ha's" been""directed 'to"-- finding ways *of' inaki'ng "reoreational' activities available to" haridiapped"persons, especiallytor The presentinventibir is also-thus intended'andhas-asits' principalt objeot tha -provision of an attachment for'fartificial arnisi which-:wiilrenable' a persori havingthe'rsa-me: to' :partieipate inwthe gaine of bowlingawith substantiall-y 'the same-skill: a

as a 'person havin'g norhandiea-parz A *iurth'er obj ect'i's the-provision-of tmeehanism'a attachable" to an :zart-ificiar arm+ and capable of? releasably gripping a bowling ball maetherrobjectrv r underwcontrolof the men and @of releasing the-J same at the will-of-the user. a a

A *speci-fic -objectiis torprovideaan attachment.v for artificial: arms .that includes r means for releasably-gripping .a bowlingloall without danger of its accidental self-release and means for con trolling the gripping means in such manner that theballmay be released at the-wil1 of.the player, for..instance, at a predetermined portion of the; forward swing corresponding to that 'at"which.a

skilled playerwill normally cast the ball down the alley. Another object is to provide a'bowling attach-- ment. having a gripjwhichwmu'st be released cidental to insertionvin the socket of the ball and which isself-locking when in "gripping position. i p g H like a clevis,'having ars"36, 38'of generailyeir An additional object is to provide a bowling at; tachment for artificial arms which 'isbperab'le to securely grip the bowling ball and from which the ball may be instantly' released under, control of the player during forward swingingmovernenfii of .the ball, the ball camrning itself "free" of the grip incidental to' said release andfn'ove'inent; I; still another object is to 'providei'a balancedbowiing ball having a single socket that is of greater cross-sectionf'inwardly "of the suiy face" of th'eball'than at the periphery' of the nary J Other objects and advantages of'myinvehtion"1 WilFbecome more apparentfrom' thefollowin'gf description taken in connection with the" accorn panying'drawings"wherein? Figured is a view in perspective ofwa player usingmy invention and. in position about to release the ballj,

Figure? is an enlarged'view ofthe ball of my invention seen in Figure 1 andshowing'the man' nerin which'th'e attachmenttof my'inve'n'tion grips the ball;

Figure 3 is an 'assembled'viewof the attach -i' ment of'my invention showing the jaws thereof? locked in "gripping position; and. v

Figure 7.4 isani exploded view in perspective showing the parts 'includ'edintithe attachmentii's" ofiiny invention. r l v Referringpito th'efldrawin'g's" in which similar. "similar parts throughout the severarviews, l0 r epresentsan artificial'armlor other body member. Non-rotatably secur'eddnil: their-resend l2' of the arm'is a flanged bushing l4 having a bore it; provided wth threads l8'i'i'nter= en'gfagedwith threade'dstem '20 bf one'end of an? elongated member or shaft generally designatedlf. bithenumbern: V j p r Preferably thesh" ftf12' will be'ad'justable in the biishingitoibring'thtattachment to the position seen'in' Figurel andfmay'ior exa'mple be locked threads ofithebushing' and stem-' run out at such paints as 'to cause'themfto wedge when drawn'up pivot ed tothe' member 22 on an axis 32. Thus the finger 23 may be 'journ'aled en a shaft "34 and'f be adapted to be "oscillated "relative to the finger 28.

The hub or pivoted nd as a finger so isforme'd cularshape c oncentric withthe axis 32 "which? stra'ddl'afgenerally circular shaped rectangular sectioned portioddfi 'of the member 22 inter thre'agied Y shouldered end 7 42 tightly screwed and anchoredin th'efear 36'while the shank 46 or the sttfd journals in a bo'r'e"48 of-the' memberportion 40 and in the bore 5!] of the ear 38. v

The fingers 28', 30 Of thegriplewhn ill 010586.

(releasedf'po'sition together preferably have a generany cylindrical shape that tapers converg in'gly" from the hub 35;and'inember 22' p0rtion"' 40am terminates i'rran enlarged end'5l prefer'- V ablybffball-like character having an annular camming band 52 to which further reference will hereinafter be made and which provides the cam} ming faces 53, 54, 55 and 56 on the fingers 28, 38 respectively. Thus the fingers 28, 38 have inner fiat faces 58, 68 respectively which in abutted relationship (released) form a plane passing through the axis 32 and offset from the axis 62 of the threaded end '28, and have transverse sections of semi-circular shape.

It will be noted that a plane passing through the axis of the fingers 28, 38 and paralleling the face 64 (Figure 4) of the portion 48 of the member 22 will pass through the axis of the portion 28 of the member 22 and of the arm I8, i. e. they are co-axial in a plane parallel to the face of the drawing. 7

Pivotably mounted on theportion 48 of the member 22 is a finger latch generally designated by the numeral 66 whose function is to releasably hold or look the finger 38 in the spread apart position relative to the finger 28' seen in Figure 3 aswhen gripping the ball I8, (see Figure 2). As seen in Figures 3 and 4 the latch is preferably L-shaped arm portions I2 and I4. The arm portion I2 is of inverted U section having downwardly directed legs I6 which include ears I8 that straddle the upper edge 88 of the portion 48 .of the member '22. The latch is secured to the member 22 by a stud or shaft 82. The stud has a threaded shouldered portion 84 tightly screwed and anchored in one of the ears I8 while the shank 86 of the stud journals in a bore 88 of the member 22 and bore 98 of the latch, it being noted'that the axis of the stud 82 is normal to the face 64 of the member 22in Figure 3, and on theopposite side of the longitudinal axis 62 in Figure 3 from the axis 32 of the movable finger. The. legs I6 of the latch have end faces 92 lying in a plane passing through the axis of the stud 34 and normal to a plane paralleling the face 58 of the leg 28. The legs I6 are adapted to engage in notches or recesses 94 of the movable finger ears 36, 38 (Figure 4) when the fingers are spread apart; the end faces 92 of the legs being adapted toabut faces 96 of the ears 36, 38 upon any tendency of the fingers to close.

The arm I4 of the latch has a bore 98 and a slot-I88 cut through the outer edge portion of the arm and opening into the bore 98.

A resilient element, for instance, a helical spring I82 is seated in opposite recesses or blind bores I84 in the faces 58, 68 of the fingers 28, 38 respectively and constantly urges the fingers 28, 38 apart into gripping position.

Similarly, a helical spring I86 is seated inopposite bores I88, II8 respectively of the member 22 and latch 66 to constantly urge the latch 66 into locking position.

It will be observed that the arm I2 of the latch 66 when in locking position has its abutment face 82 located between the axes of the studs 34, 82, and on a radial 'line'from the center of stud 34, so that the latch will not be accidently released, by any tendency of the fingers 28, 38, to close. Stated otherwise the arm I2 of the latch will not be forced outwardly by pressure between the abutment faces 92, 98 caused by closing effort on the fingers 28, 38.

For controlling release of the latch 66 I provide afiexible cable IIZ received in the slot I88 of the latch and which may apply a releasing force to the arm "74 through a ball II4 which seats in the inner end of the bore 98 of the arm 14 when tension is applied to the cable H2. The cable passes through a hole II 6 in the ball and has a knot or other enlargement II8 to prevent separation of the ball from the cable.

The cable II! as seen in Figure 1 extends beneath the clothing of the right-handed player I28 there shown and is arranged to go up the right hand arm I22 and back of the right shoulder I24 and connect with a loop I25 hooked over or fastened to the left hand shoulder I28 of the player. Suitable guides not shown are provided wherever necessary.

It will be understood that a similar but reverse arrangement will be provided where the player is left-handed.

The ball to be used by a player having my attachment need have only a single finger hole or socket I38 which as seen in Figure 2 is arranged radially inwardly of the ball and has a small radial outer bore I32 and a larger radial inner bore I34 which in efiect undercuts the bore I32 to provide an annular locking shoulder I36 for receiving the fingers 28, 38 of the grip 26. It will be understood that a plurality of pockets may be provided if desired and that the ball will be balanced by the number provided.

In operation of the attachment of my invention, the fingers 28, 38 are inserted in the socket I 38 of the ball I8, the spherical camming surfaces 53', 55 at the outer ends of the fingers 28, 38 respectively, acting against the rim I38 of the bore I32 to cam the fingers together against the opposing action of the spring I82. Once the ball grips26 get by the annular shoulder I36 of the ball socket the fingers are again forced apart by the spring I82 and their cam surfaces 52, .54 bear againstthis annular shoulder, as seen in Figures 2 and 3. At this time the latch 66 is able under bias ofthe spring I86 to automatically enter the locking slots 94 of the movable finger 38 to lock (0 the fingers in their relative positions in the ball socket. It will beunderstood that the latch is first released before attempting to insert the fingers 28. 38 in the ball socket and that sufficient operating clearance will be provided between the faces 92, 86 of the latch and movable finger res ectively when the grip is in position in the socket I38 to permit easy entrance of the latch arms I2 into the slots 94. Any such clearance will be taken up immediately upon lifting the ball.

The player is now ready to cast or roll the ball down the alley. He takes the normal position that any non-handicapped player would assume and takes the normal forward steps and backswing before swinging the ball forwardly by a forward swinging movement of the ball throwing arm. At the end of the latter movement the latch is released and the mass of the ball acts on the cam surfaces 54, 55 of the fingers to close the fingers together and compress the spring I82 wherefore. the ball speeds on its way down the alley.

It is to be noted that in the backswing of theball the forearm and the upper arm portions of the players throwing arm are crooked somewhat so that no tension is applied to the cable H2. However as the player swings the ball forwardly the arm portions straighten out until they are substantially in line. During this latter portion of the swing tension is applied to the cable by the straightening or stretching of the arm alone and/or by a forward-movement of the left shoulder of the player which anchors the cable or both cooperating together atthe end of the forward swing to release the latch and allow the ball to mountedon said member and cooperable with said first jaw for gripping a bowling ball, resilient means biasing said jaws into gripping position,- releasable latching means for holding said jaws in predetermined open position, means for releasing said latching means, and means on said jaws cooperable with the ball for releasing said fingers therefrom.

10. A bowling attachment for an artificial arm, comprising an elongated fixed member having one of its ends formed with a semi-circular tapered finger terminating in an enlarged tip and having its other end threaded into a receiving socket secured in said arm, said member also having a portion of rectangular section interme: diate said ends; a second member having a clevis portion pivotally secured to said rectangular section and having a finger portion of similar shape and structure to said first mentioned finger, the said fingers being swingable toward each other so that the fiat faces of their semi-circular sections may abut each other; a spring member arranged between said fingers for urging them apart; a slot on said second member; a latch having a clevis portion pivotally secured to said rectangular portion and having an end portion engageable in said slot for holding said fingers apart in a predetermined relationship; spring means for urging said latch into engagement with said slot; and means for releasing said latch.

11. A bowling attachment for an artificial arm, comprising an elongated fixed member having one of its ends secured in said arm and having its other end provided with a pair of relatively movable fingers, one of which is integral with said member and the other of which is pivotally mounted on said member, said fingers having abuttable faces substantially coinciding with a plane through the axis of rotation of the movable finger, spring means between said fingers for urging them apart, a slot in a portion of the mov-v able finger adjacent to its axis of rotation, a spring pressed latch engageable in said slot for holding said fingers in their spring separated positions, and a slot in said latch for receiving a latch releasing cable.

12. In combination, a bowling ball having a socket whose cross-section inwardly of the ball is larger than that juxtaposed its surface, thereby providing said socket with a lip, and an attachment for manipulating said ball When bowling, comprising an elongated member having one of its ends provided with a pair of relatively movable fingers, said fingers having enlarged end portions receivable in the enlarged portion of said socket and adapted to underlie said lip when spread apart, a spring operable upon said fingers for urging said fingers apart, and latch means for holding said fingers apart.

13. The combination as claimed in'claim 12- wherein the said enlarged portions of the fingers include camming portions for facilitating entrance of the fingers into the ball socket.

ALBERT A. ZANDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

